Safe Routes to School E-News April 2011
In this monthly e-news update, we will keep you informed about resources and support available through the Sonoma County Safe Routes to School program, inform you about logistics regarding upcoming or prior events and share any other ideas and inspiration for keeping children motivated to walk and bicycle to school safely year round.
1. FREQUENT WALK/ROLL PROGRAM GRANT AWARDS!
2. SPRING WALK AND ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY EVENTS – DEADLINE EXTENDED AGAIN!
3. STILL TIME TO SIGN UP FOR BIKE/PED EDUCATION OR BICYCLE SKILL SAFETY RODEO VIA SANTA ROSA POLICE DEPARTMENT (Santa Rosa Schools only)
4. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION RELEASES NEW RESEARCH BASED, K-5 PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CURRICULUM
5. STREET SKILLS FOR CYCLIST CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND TEENS
6. FREE GUIDE: “DISTRACTED DRIVING SHATTERS LIVES” AVAILABLE THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WEB SITE
7. MAY SRTS NEWSLETTER BLURB AND ACTIVITY IDEAS FOR ONGOING WALK/ROLL ENCOURAGEMENT – MAY IS BIKE COMMUTE MONTH!
8. BECOME OUR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL FACEBOOK FRIEND!
9. CHECK OUT THE SONOMA COUNTY SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL WEBSITE
10. CONTACT US TO ARRANGE FOR SRTS CONSULTING FOR YOUR SITE/DISTRICT
1. FREQUENT WALK/ROLL PROGRAM GRANT AWARDS
In the February E-News, we announced that any Sonoma County School that participated in the Fall 2010 International Walk and Roll to School Day may apply for a Spring 2011 Frequent Walk/Roll Program Grant, and that three eligible schools will be awarded a grant this year. In March, we increased the number of eligible schools to five. The application deadline was 3/18.
Grant recipients receive a supply of Frequent Walk/Roll Cards, a supply of posters to hang around the school, and a free bicycle gift certificate to utilize as a raffle prize for their Spring 2011 program.
We are please to announce this year’s final awardees: Prestwood Elementary School in Sonoma, Hidden Valley Elementary School in Santa Rosa, Proctor Terrace Elementary in Santa Rosa, Healdsburg Junior High School in Healdsburg, and Analy High School in Sebastopol.
Stay tuned for future issues of the E-News to be informed of opportunities like this, as well as to register for upcoming Countywide Walk & Roll to School events.
2. SPRING WALK AND ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY – deadline extended again!
Although the County SRTS Program is not able to support a Spring Walk and Roll to School Day on a countywide level, we can provide technical support to schools who are interested in holding their own Walk and Roll to School Day events, and we may be able to provide a limited number of small incentive prizes for your event (pencils & stickers) on a first come, first serve basis.
If you are planning to hold your own Walk and Roll to School Day event this Spring, please email saferoutes@bikesonoma.org. There are still small incentive prizes available at this time.
Requests for Spring Walk/Roll to School Day event support must be received at least 2 weeks in advance of your planned event.
Request emails must include the following information:
School Name
School Location
Team Leader Name:
Team Leader Contact information:
Number of students enrolled at school:
Number of students who participated in Fall 2010 International Walk and Roll to School Day:
Your Planned Walk/Roll to School Day date:
3. STILL TIME TO SIGN UP FOR BIKE/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY EDUCATION OR A BICYCLE RODEO VIA SANTA ROSA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Thanks to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, The Santa Rosa Police Department’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Outreach Program is able to support schools in the Santa Rosa City limits with bicycle/pedestrian safety presentations and/or assemblies this Spring 2011. Support is available on a first come, first serve basis, as schedule and funding permits. If you are interested in having a representative from the Santa Rosa Police Department come to your site, please contact either Kris Capeheart, Community Outreach officer, at kcapeheart@srcity.org, or Tina Panza, SRTS Director, at tinap@bikesonoma.org
The SRPD also has the resources to deliver one bicycle skill/safety rodeo to one site this Spring or Summer, again, first come, first serve. The site must provide volunteers to support the event, tables, chairs, and access to electricity and bathrooms. A bicycle skill/safety rodeo is a 3-hour on-bike education course appropriate for students in grades K-6. Courses run for 3 hours and take place after school, or on a Saturday. School day classes can also be accommodated for up to two 4th grade classrooms. Open dates are limited. For more details, contact Tina Panza.
4. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION RELEASES NEW RESEARCH BASED, K-5 PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CURRICULUM
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new pedestrian safety curriculum for grades k-5 is now posted on the NHTSA website at:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/ChildPedestrianSafetyCurriculum
The curriculum was developed to teach and encourage practice in safe pedestrian behaviors for students at the elementary level (grades kindergarten through fifth). It is organized into five lessons that target the main areas of pedestrian safety: walking near traffic, crossing streets, crossing intersections, parking lot safety, and school bus stop and school bus safety. Each lesson builds upon each previous set of skills learned.
All grades receive instruction in the five areas of pedestrian safety mentioned above. However, to promote developmentally appropriate teaching, the curriculum includes three divisions: kindergarten and first grade, second and third grade, and fourth and fifth grade. The lessons build in difficulty throughout subsequent years, require greater problem-solving opportunities, and encourage peer modeling and discussion.
The overall goal of the curriculum is skill development. While children may be aware of ways to stay safe as pedestrians, the purpose of this program is to help children develop that knowledge into an automatic response in behavior.
Each grade level division includes scripted lessons with corresponding activities, extensions, and materials – including parent/caregiver tip sheets, on the following topics:
1. Walking Safely Near Home
2. Crossing Streets Safely
3. Crossing Intersections Safely
4. Parking Lot Safety
5. Bus Safety
The Sonoma County Safe Routes to School program encourages schools and districts to adopt this curriculum as part of their school health, PE, safety and/or wellness program. We are able to provide provide technical support by request, as funding permits.
5. STREET SKILLS FOR CYCLIST CLASSES FOR ADULTS AND TEENS
Do you know parents who would love to ride their bikes with their children, but don’t feel comfortable doing so because they fear riding in traffic? Do you observe parents and/or teens who do ride, but who are not observing the rules of the road?
Please inform your school community that the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition offers low-cost Street Skills for Cyclist classes for both adults and teens. Classes take place at a central location in Santa Rosa. Arrangements can also be made to offer a class at your school or district, as funding and availability permits.
Street Skills for Cyclists classes are for ALL levels, whether you have been commuting by bike for years, or are rolling your bike out of the garage for the first time since turning 16. Participants who take the class learn about rules of the road, as well as the tricks and methods of effectively and safely dealing with traffic and other road users. The seminar is taught by Martin Clinton, League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor, utilizing proven slide illustrations,diagrams, video clips, and more. A bicycle is not required for the lecture but participants are welcome to ride to the seminar.
Santa Rosa classes are held once a month, on the first Saturday or Sunday.
Spring 2011 dates:
Sunday, May 1st
Saturday, June 4th
Times:
Adult
class
8:45 AM to 12:45 PM
Youth
class:
1:45 PM to 3:45 PM
How to sign up:
Parents may sign up for the class by emailing christie@bikesonoma.org or calling the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition at 707-545-0152.
Seminar Fee*:
General Public: $20.00
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition members: $10.00
Special class and membership deal: join SCBC at the class and the class cost is only $
*contact saferoutes@bikesonoma.org to inquire about availability and fees for school or district on-site classes
Satisfaction Guarantee:
If participants are not 100% satisfied, SCBC will refund your class fee! Participants may retake the class at any time at no additional cost.
6. FREE GUIDE: “DISTRACTED DRIVING SHATTERS LIVES” AVAILABLE THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
A free guide for parents and educators called “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives” is now available through the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Consumer Reports:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/resources/streaming/PDFs/distracted-driving-brochure.pdf
More information is available at http://distraction.gov/. Copies will be distributed to schools and volunteer groups by the National School Safety Coalition. The DOT and Consumer Reports today are sending a public service announcement to TV stations nationwide, and the guide will be highlighted in a Consumer Reports video to air in retail stores across America in April, where it is expected to reach as many as 100 million people.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Jim Guest, the president of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, at the organization’s headquarters this morning to discuss the risks of distracted driving at a panel discussion by safety experts representing schools, families, and law enforcement. LaHood is the first member of a Presidential Cabinet to visit the Consumer Reports HQ in Yonkers, NY.
Secretary LaHood said, “Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on America’s roads, and teens are especially vulnerable because of their inexperience behind the wheel and, often, peer pressure,” Secretary LaHood said. “Behind the statistics are real families who have been devastated by these tragedies. We’re pleased to be working with Consumer Reports to raise awareness and help communities fight this problem.”
Guest said, “It only takes a moment of distraction to cause a tragedy. No text or call is worth a life. We know that educating people about the risk of distracted driving works. This partnership is devoted to spreading the word about the dangers of distracted driving and specific steps you can take to make a difference.”
7. MAY SRTS NEWSLETTER BLURB AND ACTIVITIES IDEAS FOR ONGOING WALK/ROLL ENCOURAGEMENT/EDUCATION
May Newsletter Blurb: May is Bike Commute Month!
Enjoy the warm spring air and break out those bikes again. Bike to school as often as you can this month and join millions around the country in experiencing the freedom and joy of bicycle travel. Celebrate bicycling as a fun, healthy way to make your local trips - to work, school, the store, library, or movie. Here are a few fun facts about bicycling:
- In 1817, Karl von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carriage that would help him get around faster. The two-wheeled, pedal-less device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, The machine became known as the “draisine,” and led to the creation of the modern-day bicycle.
- The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive.
- Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who built the first flying airplane, operated a small bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build the 1903 Wright Flyer.
- Fred A. Birchmore, 25, circled the globe by bicycle in 1935. The entire trip, through Europe, Asia, and the United States, covered forty thousand miles. He pedaled about 25,000 miles. The rest was traveled by boat. He wore out seven sets of tires.
- Americans use their bicycles for less than one percent of all urban trips. Europeans bike in cities a lot more often—in Italy 5 percent of all trips are on bicycle, 30 percent in the Netherlands, and seven out of eight Dutch people over age 15 have a bike.
Facts
taken from:
Bicycle: The History by David
Herlihy
The World Almanac Book of
Records: Firsts, Feats, Facts & Phenomena by Mark Young
Activities:
- Coordinate a Walk/Bike-to-School Day that coincides with Sonoma County’s Bike to Work Day! This year’s Bike-to-Work Day takes place on Thursday, May 12th. Visit http://bikesonoma.org/Bike2Work.html for more information about Bike to Work month events, as well as to find out the location of event-day energizer stations near your school. You can even organize a group at your school to participate in the Team Bike Challenge!
- Hold a special Bicycle Skill Safety Rodeo
- Organize a bicycle field trip to a popular location
- Organize a bike train to a local fair or other event
- Distribute safety tips on bicycling
- Have a helmet giveaway in partnership with the local law enforcement
- Hold a bicycle Giveaway as part of a bicycle-to-school encouragement day, week or month
Note: Any Bicycle Encouragement program should include a bicycle education component. Bicycle Education tip sheets and other materials are available through the Sonoma County SRTS program. With the arrival of daylight savings time, the sun can cause issues for drivers, both in the morning and in the evening. Children and adults should be reminded of the need to be cautious on their bikes, especially when crossing major east-west arterial streets on their way to school or work in the morning. Read more here:
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20110321/COLUMNISTS117/103210306
Did you know that the Sonoma County Safe Routes to School Program has a Facebook page?
If you are a “facebooking person” please consider “liking” us to receive updates on SRTS related happenings in Sonoma County and beyond.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Sonoma-County-Safe-Routes-to-School/288911572777
9. CHECK OUT THE SONOMA COUNTY SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL WEBSITE!
The Sonoma County Safe Routes to School Program also has a website where you can learn more about the five E’s of a comprehensive Safe Routes to School Program – Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation. There are downloadable resources available for each of the E’s, including lesson plans from our CA standards based K-6 SRTS curriculum guide. You can also view E-News archives from previous months.
10. CONTACT US TO ARRANGE FOR SRTS CONSULTING FOR YOUR SITE/DISTRICT
Interested in starting a Safe Routes to School program at your school and/or district but not sure where to begin? Contact your SRTS area lead to receive more information and possibly book a consultation or presentation with one of our County Safe Routes to School Program Managers or your city lead. We can provide guidance about the resources currently available through the countywide program, and help you determine what would be most effective and feasible for your district or site, given your interests and resources.
Cities/Area Leads:
Cotati: Tina Panza - tinap@bikesonoma.org
Cloverdale: Tim Gonzalez - tiburcio@sonic.net
Healdsburg: Tim Gonzalez - tiburcio@sonic.net or Lissa Beard - lbeard@husd.com
Petaluma: Becky Schuerman-Choi - bschuerman@juno.com
Monte Rio/River: Tim Gonzalez - tiburcio@sonic.net
Rohnert Park: Amy Jolly - amybjolly@yahoo.com
Sebastopol/West County: Steven Schmitz – steven@sctransit.com
Sonoma: Carole Latorre – latorrec@aol.com
Santa Rosa: Tina Panza – tinap@bikesonoma.org
Windsor: Laurel Green – lgreen@wusd.org
School Districts with Federal SRTS Grants:
Bellevue School District/Santa Rosa: Lacinda Moore – laci@bikesonoma.org
Roseland School District/Santa Rosa: Lacinda Moore – laci@bikesonoma.org
Sebastopol Union School District School District: Sarah Hadler – sjhadler@aol.com
Cotati/Rohnert Park School District: Amy Jolly – ambjolly@yahoo.com
All the best,
The Sonoma County Safe Routes to School Team
Tina Panza
Director, Safe Routes to School
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition
mobile: 707-799-3911
Office:
707.545.0153, fax: 707.573-0147
Mail: PO Box 3088, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-3088
Office: 750 Mendocino Ave. Suite 6, Santa Rosa CA
The Sonoma County Safe Routes to School program, funded in part by the Measure M transportation tax and in part by short-term federal grants to specific local jurisdictions, provides guidance and resources to schools interested in implementing at least one component of a Safe Routes to School program, as funding permits. The goal of Safe Routes to School programs is to encourage walking and bicycling where it is safe, and to make changes where it is not safe. SRTS programs do this through an integrated approach that includes five E's - encouragement, education, evaluation, engineering, and enforcement. However, a school can launch a SRTS program with just one component, and build from there. In doing so, SRTS programs address health and safety by reducing traffic congestion around schools, increasing physical activity, encouraging lifestyle changes for families, creating safer, calmer streets and neighborhoods, and improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition is the lead implementation agency for the county SRTS program.
